A LEGAL challenge to Heathrow's Third Runway has been launched by local authorities including Ealing Council and Hammersmith and Fulham Council.

The 2M Group, made up of council's surrounding Heathrow, also have the backing of Greenpeace, the WWF, RSPB, HACAN, protest group NoTRAG, and Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

Since Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon's announcement to allow the runway to go ahead on January 15, campaigners have stepped up their challenge, vowing to fight it through the courts and if necessary, direct action.

The local authorities are arguing that the Government failed to conduct a lawful consultation process and was irrational in a number of areas, inlcuding the economic case, noise, air quality, climate change, and public transport impacts, not least for the impact on the village of Sipson, which would be demolished.

Ray Puddifoot, leader of Hillingdon Council, said: "The number of organisations backing this challenge is unprecedented. It shows just about everyone other than Geoff Hoon thinks the Government has got this wrong.

"For the local authorities, the real concern is that the Government has not proved that a third runway can be operated without breaching air pollution limits, making noise worse or creating intolerable congestion on local roads and public transport."

If permission for the judicial review is granted it is likely that a hearing would not take place until the early of 2010.